State of the Union should inspire

President Obama is expected to put the focus on economic inequality in tonight's State of the Union address.

OUR VIEW

The State of the Union address "is, and always has been, at its best an eloquent laundry list. But even a laundry list can be powerful if a president is bold." - Michael Waldman, chief speechwriter for President Bill Clinton 1995-99

Even though we are just at the beginning of a new year and a new election season, have Americans ever been as tired of it?

Tired of the partisan bickering, political grandstanding and the one-upmanship. And tired of the suspicion, distrust and sheer anger over where the country is heading.

This is why we are hoping for a positive, inclusive, nonpartisan State of the Union address from President Obama tonight. It is sorely needed.

Not only have Americans been buffeted by an excruciatingly slow economic recovery over the past six years, 2013 presented one polarizing difficulty after another, from government eavesdropping to a costly and unnecessary partial shutdown of the federal government. Only at the very end of the year did we see an apparent change of heart, as members of Congress managed to find compromises culminating in the first federal budget plan in a long time.

Forgive our skepticism since, after doing nothing constructive all year, lawmakers suddenly became industrious on the eve of the midterm election season. Americans want and need more assurance than that, as recent polling indicates.

A USA TODAY/Pew survey released last week shows a majority of Americans are worried about their incomes falling behind the cost of living, and that even if the recovery picks up steam, they could be left behind. The president's popularity is at a five-year low, and that of Congress is historically dismal.

What can we hope to expect from Mr. Obama's speech? The White House says that he will put the spotlight on income inequality - a serious problem that economic analysts say is growing worse, as it hinders the ability of middle- and lower-class Americans to spend, and more importantly to save, for their children's education.

But simply highlighting the rifts in our society is not sufficient; not now. Nor are the made-for-TV anecdotal stories of "real people" that have become State-of-the-Union-night fodder for presidents and their opponents.

What will inspire us tonight is a sincere attempt to reach out: by the president, to Republicans and independents who may disagree with his methods but who are genuinely concerned about moving the country forward, together. And instead of the usual bashing of this president by political rivals, let's see an honest admission that the administration has made some positive accomplishments, as a majority of Americans seem to realize.

It is not too much to ask that the State of the Union actually approximate a state of unity.

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State of the Union should inspire

We are hoping for a positive, inclusive, nonpartisan State of the Union address from President Obama tonight. It is sorely needed.